Family Fun Night brings Raymond neighbors together

RAYMOND - The gymnasium of the Iber Holmes Gove Middle School was full of festivities on Friday during the eighth annual Family Fun Night.

Local organizations and businesses set up booths of information, games, snacks and other activities to educate residents about the services and activities that abound in town.

The idea came from a student eight years ago who approached the Raymond Coalition for Youth about putting something together that would direct people to everything going on in town, whether bringing awareness to Riverside Park or the local Headstart preschool program.

"Family resources are really important, so this is a good way for us to get all the resources we can out to the parents in the community and to show them they are not alone," Celeste Clark, executive director of the Raymond Coalition for Youth, said. "And it is the middle of winter so it is a great way for families to come out and see each other and learn about the things they can get involved in."

While small children jumped around in a large bouncy house, parents perused information and talked with neighbors while music blared, raffles were sold and copious amounts of free pizza was consumed.

Christine Bostaph is the current president of the Raymond Coalition for Youth's board of directors but previously participated in Family Fun Night as a representative of the local Girl Scouts.

"I think it's great because it gives our community an opportunity to know what's out there, get questions answered and just have some fun," Bostaph said.

Michelle Martel said her family attends every year because of the opportunity to gather and get to know local businesses.

"It is really quite neat to see what's in the town we may not have ever seen," Martel said.